MANILA, Philippines ? A Philippine eagle has new home thanks to a generous contribution from boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

?Girlie,? a Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), who was rescued from hunters and brought to the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) in Cagayan de Oro City in 1982, was transferred to a Quezon City park last year.

Girlie, who is 29 years old and weighs five kilos, was quarantined for a few months at the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) Rescue Center in Quezon City to allow her to adjust to Metro Manila weather, said PAWB director Dr. Mundita Lim.

She was recently transferred and released in her new home?an 800-square-meter enclosure inside the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center in Quezon City. The enclosure, a gift from Pacquiao, reportedly cost P400,000.

Residents of Metro Manila would be able to see ?live and first-hand? the Philippine Eagle, an endangered species and the country?s national bird, Lim said, inviting the public to come see Girlie.

?We hope this will generate interest in the environment among the public. We also want to encourage city dwellers to help in the protection of the Philippine Eagle, an endangered species,? she added.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and based on 2003 data, there are an estimated 82 to 233 pairs of Philippine Eagles in Mindanao, perhaps six pairs in Samar, two pairs in Leyte and probably very few in Luzon.

Lim said Girlie briefly suffered from pneumonia but was able to recover.

The PAWB director said Girlie, 29 years old, was considered ?unproductive,? meaning she could no longer be used for breeding at the PEF.

?Instead, Girlie will help promote environmental awareness. We would like to make the most of her remaining years. Her presence would help save her species from total extinction,? Lim said.